Chap. 3 a. An Expofitiof upon : the Book of o B. Verf. E. Job waSa man righteous in the eyes of 'many men ; for he- faith ( Chap. 29. 1 I.) The ear which heardme bleffed me, and the eye which favo me gave witneffi tome ; yec job had not an univerfall teilimony given by men ; There were force, I cannot fay many, in whole eyes he was unrighteous ; He was fo in the eyes and opinion of his friends efpecially. Though none could, as Co the _eye, tax jobwith any unrrghteoufnefre, no not they who doubt- Idle had fifted his life to the bran , yet-his friends thought him . unrighteous, and he flood judg'das unrighteous in their eye: As for the third fort of righteoufneffe, thatof being righteous in our owne eyes we muffdiflmguiill; yob was indeed righte- ous in his owne eyes in a good fence, and that under a twofold confideration ; Firfl, asnot having committedany grofs or fcan- dalous a& of wickedneffe , as he profetfed at large and with much confidence inthat apologie andvindication which he made for himfelfe in the Chapter foregoing ;where he calls dowse the fevereft judgements of God upon himfelfe, if he had done Inch things as he was fufpe&ed of, efpecially if he had defiled him- felfe with thofe common polutions ofthe world, wanronnefle, in- juflice and oppreflion. 3o6 flood upon it that hewas thus righte- ous. Secondly,'ob.was righteous in his owne eyes, as to i ie- al- lowingof himfelfe in any the leaf' 'fin or unevenneffe , either of hart or life ; Thus`ninch his proreflation or imprecationamounts tom the 3 3dverfe of that Chapter ; If Ihavecovered my. trítnf- greffions as Adam, by`hrdingmene iniquity Las my bofeme; As if he had faid,Ihave nor lived in the love of any finwhatfoever. Thus 706 was righteous in his owne eyes, protefling to God andbe- fore men, that as he was not fcandaloullywcked in any kinde, fo he wasnot clofely nor hypocritically wicked ; every fin was his burden, and the abhorrence ofhis foule., in any other fence Yob was, far frombeing righteous in his owne eyes ; He never either ffidor thought he had doneno evil!, or was altogether fin-leffe; like white paper without blot or blur ; yea we very often find him confeflïng his fins and failings ( Chap. 7. zo. ) I have finned; what'hall! doe unto thee thoupreferver ofmen ? He maketh a like acknowledgement ( Chap. 9. a.) I know it is fo of a :truth, but, how 'hall man be jolt withGod ? If he will contend rith.:him,, he cannot anfwer him one of a thoufand. Againe (ver.-zo;) IfI to- ffs/1emy. felfe,my mouth'hall.condemne me: If! fay I am.perfe?l, Its
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